Hinge Basics Architectural and Residential

Hinges
There is a huge variety of door hinges available in todays commercial hardware market.
Which hinge is right for your application? This article discusses hinge types, hinge
characteristics, and basic guidelines
on how to choose a hinge for your application.
Parts of a Hinge
At right is an illustration that details the components of a full mortise hinge. Pictured is
the most common hinge used in the United States, a five knuckle, full mortise ball
bearing architectural grade template hinge, four-and-a-half by four-and-a-half inches.

The leaves are fastened to the door and door frame.

The bearings keep the hinge alligned help the hinge last longer by reducing wear

The pin (shown slightly withdrawn from the knuckles as if being removed) holds the leaves
together and provides the axis on which the door will turn

The knuckle is a loop of metal through which the pin passes

The top tip rests on the top knuckle of the hinge, stabilizing the pin; the bottom tip is attached
to the bottom knuckle and helps keep the interior of the knuckles clean.

Some Variations
The leaves could be equal widths, or unequal; the leaves could be swaged, meaning
bent to compensate for a door with a beveled edge; the bearings could be ball bearings,
concealed bearings, lube bearings, or plain bearings, indicating no bearings at all; the
pin could be non-removeable or fixed; there could be five knuckles, three knuckles, or in

some cases, no knuckles; and hinge tips could be decorative or could serve a purpose,
such as hospital tips, which are beveled to prevent things from getting caught on them.
Commercial architectural grade hinges could be standard weight or heavy weight; they
could have square corners or round; and they could be template or non-template
hinges, indicating whether its screw pattern matches architectural conventions so as to
fit in standard hollow metal door preps or not.
Electrical options are also available, such as electric though wire, concealed magnetic
contact, exposed electrical conctact, and others.
Hinge Sizing

To measure a full mortise hinge, also called a butt

hinge, lay it on a flat surface. Measure the height, then the width. When you specify full
mortise hinge sizes, always refer to the height first, then the width.
Heavy Weight vs. Standard Weight Hinges
Heavy weight hinges are used for very heavy doors or doors that are subjected to very
high traffic. Hinge weight actually refers to hinge leaf thickness. Heavy weight hinges
leaves run closer to .200 gauge thickness, while standard weight hinges are more in the
range .150 gauge thickness.
Hinge thickness is also dependent on hinge size. For example, a standard weight hinge
6 inches by 5 inches will be thicker than a standard weight hinge that is 4-1/2 by 4-1/2
inches.
Wide Throw Hinges

At right is shown a wide throw full mortise hinge. Wide throw

hinges
enable a door to open 180 degrees
when a decorative door molding might otherwise prevent it from doing so.
Types of Hinges
All the hinges listed below are available in standard weight and heavy weight versions
for different commercial applications. Illustrations at right show various kinds of hinges.
Full Mortise Hinges
As I said earlier, full mortise hinges are by far the most common type of hinge. They
come in a wide variety to accommodate diverse applications.
Half Mortise Hinges
Half mortise hinges are hinges that have one leaf mounted to the

visible
front of the frame and the other leaf mounted in a hinge
prep, or mortise, on the edge of the door.
Half Surface Hinges
Half surface hinges are hinges that have one leaf mounted to the surface of the door
and the other leaf mounted into hinge prep on the jamb part of the door frame.

Full Surface Hinges

Full surface hinges have both leaves visible when the doors closed. One

leaf is fastened to the surface of the frame and the other to the
surface of the door.
Swing Clear Hinges
Swing clear hinges are designed so that when the door is opened to 90 degrees, the
door itself is completely out of the opening. For example, if you needed to move a cart
through a door that was 35-1/2 inches wide through a 36inch wide door, unless the door
was hung on swing clear hinges, you would have to be able to open the door
180degrees in order to get the cart through the opening.

All of the hinges above are available in swing clear versions.

Template and Non-Template Hinges
Template hinges are full hinges that have a standard screw pattern and sizing to fit into
an ANSI standard hinge prep, usually on a hollow metal door and frame. Most
architectural (commercial) grade hinges are template hinges. Most residential hinges
are non-template hinges.

Radius Corners
Radius corner hinges are hinges with rounded corners. Radius
refers to the radius of the circle that would exist if the curve of
the rounded corner were continued to form a circle. Architectural
hinges are available with 1/4-inch radius corners whereas
residential hinges are available in 1/4-inch radius and 5/8 inch
radius corners.
Residential Hinges
Residential hinges are very simliar to architectural hinges, but there are differences. As
stated above,more often residential hinges are non-template hinges, but they are sized
the same as architecturalhinges. Residential hinges also more often have radius
corners than architectural hinges and are usually made of thinner gauge metal. Often
one will see an architectural grade hinge used on exteriordoors and residential grade
hinges used on doors within the dwelling.
Spring Hinges
Spring hinges are architectural hinges that are spring-loaded so as to shut the door.

They are available in fullmortise, with or without radius

corner, in
most sizes inwhich other full mortise hinges are made, and areavailable in template and
nontemplateversions. A full mortise spring hinge is shown at right. Beneath the full
mortise spring hinge is a picture of adouble acting spring hinge for a door that swings
bothways. Bommer Industries is an excellent source for a wide variety of spring hinges,
as well as other architectural and residential grade hinges. It is important to note that
spring hinges are not a substitute for a door closer, since spring hinges slam the door.
Continuous Hinges
Continuous hinges are hinges that extend the full height of the door. They are widely
used on aluminumstorefront and hollow metal applications. They are a good alternative
for high frequency of useapplications where added durability is necessary. Continuous
hinges are available in aluminum, steel,or stainless steel, and, like architectural hinges,

are available in different types to accomodate differentconditions. Many of these

configurations match those discussed in this article.
Pivot Hinges
Pivot hinges are used on very heavy doors in high traffic applications and on many
aluminum storefront doors. Since the weight of the door rests on the bottom pivot,
thedoor does not hang as it does with other types of hinges, therefore there is less risk
that the door will sag over time. At right is a drawing from Rixson Hardwares pivot
catalog.
Electrified Hinges
Full mortise, pivot, continuous hinges and others are available with electrical options
such as:

Electric Through Wire: a number of conductors arethreaded through the hinge in order to
conduct electricity from the door frame into the door (or vice versa) to power electric locks or
transmit contact closure from monitor switches in the door or in the locking hardware. Available
with anywhere from 2 to12 conductors, typically 24 gauge wire. 2conductor,18 gauge wire is
also available.

Concealed Magnetic Contact: a magnetic contact reed switch is concealed in the leaves of a
full mortise hinge. When the door is opened, the leaves are spread apart, breaking or making
the contact. HInges with concealed magnetic contact are handed.It is possible to have both the
above options in the same hinge.

Non-Removable Pins
In situations where you have an out-swinging secured door, you can use hinges with
non-removable hinge pins. Non-removable hinge pins are pins which have a groove
milled in them in the middle. A set screw is threaded through the middle knuckle to mate
with the groove (see picture at right) to inhibit burglars from pulling the pin and the door
to gain entry. (In the picture, the center knuckle is not shown so that theset screw can
be seen.)

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builders hardware, continuous hinge, door, door closer, door hardware, door sag, hinge, pivot hinge, spring